A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a book holding device particularly adapted for holding a book in a convenient position for reading.
B. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A common prior art apparatus for holding a book is a simple rostrum which provides a slanted surface of approximately the same size of the book, and the book rests on this surface. However, since such devices are somewhat bulky and not readily portable or adaptable for use in a variety of situations, the use of such rostrums is usually limited to use in connection with speaking platforms or in library use with very large books, such as dictionaries.
Consequently, there have been other attempts in the prior art to provide book holders in a more convenient form. For example, in the Hendrix patent, U.S. Pat. No. 331,057, there is shown a book holder in the form of a wire frame which supports a book in somewhat the manner of a rostrum and provides a pair of wire fingers which holds the pages of the book in place. While such a book holder has less bulk than a conventional rostrum, the overall dimensions are still nearly as large as the book which is to be held, and it is limited to holding the book in a single slanted position.
Another approach is shown in the Parker patent, U.S. Pat. No. 294,498, in which there are a pair of arms having a spring interconnection, with a pair of crosspieces mounted at the end of the arms. The crosspieces are slipped over the opposite sides of an open book, thus holding the book in an open position, and there is a U-shaped strut extending downwardly from one of the crosspieces to hold the book at a predetermined slant above a supporting surface.
While the various prior art book holding devices, such as those discussed above, are able to serve a useful support function in holding a book at a convenient reading location, there is still a need for improvement with regard to such things as compactness, versatility, and simplicity of construction. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a book holding device which is relatively compact, is versatile in its ability to hold books of various sizes in a variety of positions and yet is relatively simple in its structural design.